Just when you think a Republican’s capacity for ignorance and heartlessness could sink down no further in the sewer, someone like Rep. Mo Brooks (R-AL) comes along and says “hold my beer.”

This week Republicans are divided surrounding the looming government shutdown, so many have decided to take their cues from Donald Trump and let the shutdown happen rather than negotiate rationally on immigration reform.

During an interview with CNN’s Chris Cuomo, Brooks seemed to have trouble understanding the hardship a government shutdown would cause thousands of federal workers, who live paycheck to paycheck like most Americans. Cuomo asked Brooks if he and his colleagues planned to do anything to help the furloughed workers who will not get their paychecks during the shutdown. The host reminded the congressman, “you guys get paid. Twenty-Seventh Amendment to the Constitution, you can’t change congressional pay until the beginning of the year.”

However, Brooks waved off Cuomo’s concerns, “Historically speaking, every government employee has been paid in full.”

Cuomo pressed further.

“Right, but often it’s back pay, right?” Cuomo pressed him. “Very often, people live check to check. They need their money when they are supposed to get it, not when you decide to get your act together.”

Brooks still didn’t get it.

“That’s one way to look at it,” said Brooks. “The other way to look at it is, to the extent that there is a government shutdown and these federal workers aren’t working, they are getting paid for not working when they get that back pay. There’s some benefit to not having to do the work and still get the money.”

This is a guy who must have either forgotten or never knew what it’s like to have a utility bill due or desperately need a car repair. People like Brooks don’t live in the real world; they are too busy begging the 1 percent for campaign contributions and trying to figure out how to stay in office. This November, you know what you need to do.